Official Website of Philippine Senator Pia Cayetano

Category: Featured

  • Pia: Train more doctors for persons with rare disease

    Nacionalista Party senatorial bet Pia S. Cayetano is urging more investments in specialized training for Filipino doctors to allow them to effectively respond to the needs of rare disease patients all over the country.

    Cayetano issued the call as the country observes National Rare Disease Week which is slated every last week of February.


    Rare diseases are special medical conditions that affect only a small percentage of the population. Medical services and medicines for these ailments are usually expensive, or hardly available and accessible, especially for the poor.

    The principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 10747 or the Rare Diseases Act, Cayetano pointed out the importance of addressing the needs of Filipinos diagnosed with rare diseases andgiving them sufficient support.

    “RA 10747 addresses the needs of a very special sector of our society,” the congresswoman said. “No matter how small this sector is, our health system must be responsive enough toinclude them. No one should be left behind in the delivery of health services.”

    RA 10747 created a comprehensive policy that would assist individuals with rare diseases by increasing their access to medical treatment and medication. The law mandates the Departmentof Health (DOH) “to develop a system to train a sufficient number of medical specialists to diagnose and manage persons with rare disease.”

    Cayetano called on the DOH and other concerned agencies to ensure the proper implementation of the measure, particularly by training and educating more Filipino doctors to diagnose rare diseases in patients as early as possible.

    “There are so many different conditions and that’s why the registry, the background, and the early diagnosis for these children as mandated by the law are very important,” she added.

    Once diagnosed with a rare disease, patients are given access to benefits from PhilHealth, including the cost of their treatment. They will also be considered persons with disabilities and will be granted privileges such as priority programs and discounts mandated by law.

    In filing the measure back in 2015, former senator Cayetano said she took inspiration from her own experience as a mother, having cared for and lost a child to a rare medical condition knownas Trisomy 13.

    “When I first ran for the Senate in 2004, I was espousing inclusive healthcare, inspired by the struggles of my father, who had liver cancer, and of my son, who died of a condition called Trisomy13,” shared Cayetano, who is once again running for senator under the same platform of health, education, and the welfare of Filipino families. #

    File photo: Children with rare disease and their parents pay a courtesy call to House Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano at the House of Representatives.

  • Expanded maternity leave puts PH at par with ASEAN, ILO standards

    The passage of Republic Act 11210 or the 105-Day Expanded bMaternity Leave Law will allow women workers in the Philippines to be at par with their counterparts in South East Asia in terms of maternity leave benefits.

    At the same time, the measure signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last week would enable the country to meet the standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

    It should be noted that the ILO recommends 14 weeks, or 98 days, of maternity leave to allow working moms sufficient time to recover from childbirth and take care of their newborn before reporting back for work.

    “This law is our government’s best gift to working moms and Filipino families as we approach March, which is International Women’s Month,” said House Deputy Speaker and senatorialcandidate Pia S. Cayetano, one the law’s principal authors and sponsors.

    “From the bottom of the list, we now belong among the top countries in ASEAN providing sufficient maternity leave for their women workers,” she noted.

    RA 11210 extended the maternity leave from 60 and 78 days (for natural and caesarian childbirth, respectively) to 105 days.

    Vietnam currently offers the longest maternity leave in the region at 180 days, while Singapore ranks second with 112 days.

    Brunei, Laos, and now, the Philippines, provide 105 days; Myanmar and Thailand 98 days; while Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia round up the list with 90 days.

    “It takes two houses of Congress (the house and Senate) and the President’s approval to pass a law” Cayetano, the measure’s original proponent in the 16th Congress, stressed.

    It will be recalled that Cayetano filed and sponsored the earlier version of the expanded maternity leave bill as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality in the 16th Congress. The measure was approved by the Senate in 2016.

    However, since the House of Representatives did not pass its version at the time, Cayetano had to refile her Senate-approved bill, this time in the House, after she was elected representative of Taguig City in the current 17th Congress.

    “I thank and congratulate everyone who was part of the legislative process, including my colleagues in Congress, government agencies, and of course, our President who signed the bill into law after careful deliberation. The most important thing is that our people will benefit – mothers , fathers, [and] the entire family,” Cayetano concluded. #

    From the bottom of the list, the Philippines now joins the ranks of top ASEAN countries giving sufficient maternity leave to women workers at 105 days.

  • Pia leads 3rd annual sports clinic for Taguig PWDs

    Senatorial candidate and House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano, in partnership with the city government of Taguig, led the third Disability Sports Clinic and Competition, an annual sportsdevelopment program for the city’s differently-abled community.

    The participants – including children and youth with hearing, speech, orthopedic, and learning disabilities – were given the opportunity to learn different sports, such as table tennis, futsal,basketball, volleyball, chess, and darts.

    “Ang paniniwala ko talaga is that sports enables people, especially children. It embeds in their minds the idea that, ‘I can do more, I can do better,’ and so I always want to ensure that even those with disabilities would have that opportunity,” the congresswoman and known sports advocate explained.

    She added that the annual sports project opens doors for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to learn new skills and discover their athletic and physical talents.
    “I hope and pray that this activity will embolden them to try to achieve more, and not to be scared of any limitations,” said Cayetano, author of Republic Act 10070, which mandates the establishment of a Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in all local government units.
    Cayetano is also the founder of Gabriel’s Symphony Foundation, which provides medical and financial assistance for sick and differently-abled children. The foundation was established inmemory of her own son, Gabriel Rene Cayetano Sebastian, who passed away in 2001 due to complications from a rare disease called Trisomy 13.

    “It is the third year that we are doing this sports activity here in Taguig. But I’ve actually been doing this for around 17 to 18 years. Ang anak kong si Gabriel was born with multiple disabilities. In his memory, ‘yung foundation kong Gabriel’s Symphony has been doing [similar] activities all over the country,” Cayetano noted.

    The congresswoman, who is now running for senator under the Nacionalista Party in the upcoming midterm polls, expressed her commitment to continue promoting the rights of PWDs and ensuring the enactment of inclusive programs to give them livelihood and job opportunities and better access to government services. #

    Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano greets a participant at Taguig’s annual sports clinic for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

  • FAQs: 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law

    1. How many days of maternity leave are allowed under the law?

    ➢ Working mothers can file 105 days of Maternity Leave with full pay

    ➢ They can also file an additional 30 Days of optional leave without pay

    ➢ Mothers who suffered from miscarriage can file 60 Days of Maternity Leave with full pay

    2. Who will benefit from this law?

    ➢ All working mothers in:

    • the government
    • the private sector
    • the informal sector, or any SSS member with voluntary contribution

    3. What are the additional benefits for solo parents?

    ➢ Qualified Solo Parents under the law are granted additional 15 Days of paid MaternityLeave, on top of the 105 Days.

    4. Can an unmarried woman apply for a maternity leave?

    ➢ Yes. Maternity leaves are granted regardless of the mothers’ civil status or their children’s legitimacy.

    5. Can working mothers re-apply for maternity leave if they get pregnant again?

    ➢ Yes. Working mothers can apply for maternity leave in every instance of pregnancy.

    6. Can a working mother apply for maternity leave even after she gets terminated from work?

    ➢ Yes. A mother can still apply for maternity leave if her childbirth or miscarriage occurs not more than 15 days after her service is terminated.

    7. Will female athletes also benefit from this law?

    ➢ Yes. Female athletes are also entitled to the maternity leave benefits. They will also continue to receive allowances and benefits that were granted to them before their pregnancy.

    8. Can a working mother transfer her maternity leave benefit to her husband or relative?

    ➢ Yes. A working mother may allocate up to 7 Days of her maternity leave to the child’sfather.

    ➢ In the absence, death, or incapacity of the father, the 7 Days may be allocated to a relativeup to the 4th degree or to the mother’s current partner.

    9. How much should a working mother receive from her 105-Day maternity leave?

    ➢ Working mothers who avail of maternity leave must receive their full pay.

    10. Who will pay for them?

    Public Sector:

    ➢ Working mothers will be paid by their respective agencies.


    Private Sector:

    ➢ SSS will cover the payment, the amount of which will depend on the monthly salary credit of the female member.

    ➢ In cases where the salaries of mothers are higher than the actual cash benefits they will receive from SSS, the employers are required to pay them a salary differential for the entire duration of their maternity leave.

    11. What are the penalties for those who will violate this law?

    ➢ Employers or agencies who violate this law will be fined from P20,000.00 to P200,000.00; or will be imprisoned for at least 6 years and 1 day or not more than 12 years. Moreover, their business permits shall no longer be renewed.

    File photo: Deputy Speaker and 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law principal author and sponsor Pia S. Cayetano does her signature ‘women power’ pose with women graduates of TESDA in Taguig City.

  • Pia hails signing of expanded maternity leave law

    Cayetano thanks Pres. Duterte for signing the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law; says measure recognizes dual role of women as workers and mothers

    House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano hailed the passage of the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, which provides 105 days of paid maternity leave to Filipino working mothers. 

    A known advocate for Filipino families and children, Cayetano expressed her gratitude to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for signing the measure, thus giving working mothers more time to recover and to take care of their newborn after giving birth. 

    “This measure is an acknowledgement of the dual role of women in society: as members of the work force and as mothers,” she stressed.

    The principal author and sponsor of expanded maternity bill in the House, Cayetano also led the passage of the original version of the measure in the Senate back when she chaired the *Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality* in the 16th Congress. 

    The Taguig representative thanked President Duterte for listening to her position on the urgency of enacting the measure for women workers, and for eventually backing the proposal. The President had said during his endorsement of Cayetano at the PDP-Laban kickoff rally in Bulacan last week that he would always listen to the lady lawmaker’s advice in addressing the problems of the country. 

    Cayetano also acknowledged her colleagues in Congress, particularly House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, and the previous chair, former Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, for paving the way towards the successful passage of the measure. 

    Cayetano also acknowledged then Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, for heeding and acknowledging the stand of women advocates and relaying this to the President. 

    “This maternity leave bill was like a baby that’s been waiting to be born. I’ve been working on this for many years, since I was in the Senate,” Cayetano stressed.

    Republic Act 7322, or the Act Increasing Maternity Benefits in Favor of Women Workers in the Private Sectors, was passed way back in March 1992. With the passage of the new law after almost 27 years, working mothers can now enjoy an extended maternity leave from 60 to 105 days.

    “As a working mother, I have experienced the 60-day maternity leave under the previous law. I know that the additional days will be a great help to hardworking Filipino mothers and their newborns,” Cayetano shared. #

    Photo: Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano with breastfeeding mothers and their babies at the Big Latch On (BLO) held in Cebu in August, 2018.

  • Cayetano campaigns for families’ health

    Reminds mothers of the urgency to have their children properly vaccinated

    Nacionalista Party (NP) and Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) senatorial bet Pia S. Cayetano has officially started her campaign for the health and welfare of Filipino families and children, voicing out her platform during the HNP kickoff rally in Pampanga. 

    The Taguig representative is pioneering an issue-based campaign strategy, as she plans to go around the country to promote her advocacies on health and education, among her other initiatives for the benefit of the Filipino family.

    “Sasamantalahin ko nang nandito ako kaharap ng napakaraming nanay, tatay, mga lolo at lola,” Cayetano stressed during her speech at the HNP rally, which was intended to drum up support for senatorial bets endorsed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

    Cayetano, a known health advocate, took the time to remind Filipino mothers of the importance of having their children properly vaccinated, in light of the recent outbreak of measles in several parts of the country. 

    The Department of Health (DOH) has declared a measles outbreak in the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Western and Central Visayas. In Region III alone, 481 cases of measles were recorded, with three deaths. 

    “‘Yan ho ay napakaseryosong bagay. Malapit ‘yan sa puso ko dahil ho ako ang may-akda ng Mandatory Immunization, isa sa unang batas ko noong ako ho’y pumasok sa Senado,” Cayetano said, referring to the Mandatory Infants and Children Immunization Act (Republic Act 10152), which she principally authored and sponsored. 

    “Ginawa ko ho ‘yun dahil napakahalaga na ang mga anak natin, may proketsyon laban sa mga sakit,” she added. 

    The congresswoman lamented that there is now a decline in people’s confidence in vaccines, following the controversy involving Dengvaxia. 

    On this note, she vowed to use the campaign period for the midterm elections as an opportunity to restore Filipino families’ trust in the government’s immunization program. 

    “Gagawin ko ‘yun araw-araw sa pag-iikot ko dahil takot na takot ako na may isa pang ina na mawalan ng anak… Kwento po ito ng isang ina sa mga ibang ina,” Cayetano said, taking inspiration in her own experiences as a mother, when her third child died of congenital disease. 

    “Ako po, apat ho ang anak ko… Ang pangatlo ko po… namatay nung maliit pa lang siya… Dinadasal ko, sana may bakuna para sa sakit ng anak ko… Pero wala. Meron talagang sakit na walang lunas. Itong measles, pwedeng iwasan. Please, nakikiusap ako… Suportahan natin ang mga magulang na bumalik ang tiwala sa bakuna,” she shared. #

  • Pia: Let’s restore people’s trust in vaccines

    Let us stop the blame game over the measles outbreak and focus on restoring Filipinos’ trust in vaccines – Pia Cayetano

    House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano said instead of pointing fingers over who is to blame for the measles outbreak, national leaders should focus on restoring the trust of Filipino mothers in the government’s vaccination program for their children.

    “Right now, the most important message – the only message – that we need to be hearing from everyone is to assure the mothers. Kumbinsihin ang mga nanay na magpabakuna ng mga anak,” Cayetano said in an interview with reporters in La Trinidad, Benguet on Saturday.

    “As we are talking, habang nagtuturuan tayo, habang nagdedebate tayo, namamatay ang mga baby,” she further lamented.

    Cayetano, the principal author and sponsor of the Mandatory Infants and Children Immunization Act (Republic Act 10152), stressed that there is an urgent need to end the “general feeling of distrust” among parents towards the government’s mandatory immunization program.

    “When I heard the news na nagkaroon na ng outbreak [of measles], dino-double ko ngayon ‘yung  time ko wherever I go to talk about it, to give the mothers that sense of confidence na kailangan nilang ipa-vaccinate ‘yung mga anak nila,” she said.

    A study made by the Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene revealed that in 2018, only 20 percent of Filipinos agreed to the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, significantly lower than the 80 percent recorded in 2015.

    “Ibig sabihin, four in five mothers takot? Mahirap ‘yun. We have to rebuild the trust… because so many illnesses na hindi na natin nae-experience ay may danger na bumalik,” Cayetano said, adding that better access to information could help end the vaccine scare. 

    “Bakit natin iri-risk ‘yung buhay ng mga babies dahil sa misinformation or lack of knowledge? Nananawagan talaga ako, hindi lang sa mga nanay, kundi sa buong komunidad… Suportahan natin ang mga nanay para mabalik ang kumpyansa sa immunization,” she added.

    The Taguig representative particularly called on the Department of Health and other concerned government agencies to initiate an effective information campaign to educate mothers and families of the benefits of vaccinating their children.#

    Photo: Deputy Spekaer Pia Cayetano speaks before women’s groups including vegetable traders, strawberry farmers and Barangay Health Workers at the La Trinidad Trading Post in Benguet.    

  • Pia: ‘Let’s help end the vaccine scare’

    Amid the measles outbreak, Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano appeals to barangay leaders, health workers and mothers in Cabanatuan City to help end the vaccine scare

    CABANATUAN CITY – Echoing the recent call of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano is encouraging Filipino families and communities to work together for the proper immunization of infants and children, with the goal of protecting them from vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles. 

    The congresswoman made the appeal on Thursday to different women’s groups and barangay officials in Cabanatuan City, where she also advocated for reform measures that would improve social services for every member of the family.

    “Kailangan ko ang suporta ninyo sa issue na ito… It is our duty to convince the mothers, [para] mapanatag ang kanilang kalooban that these vaccinations are safe… Huwag nating pabayaan na matakot ang mga nanay dahil ‘pag tayo nagka-outbreak, sariling anak natin ay maaapektuhan,” Cayetano said. 

    Her message came a day after President Duterte issued an order to the Department of Health (DOH) to intensify the campaign for the complete immunization of Filipino children. 

    The principal author and sponsor of the Mandatory Infants and Children Immunization Act (RA 10152), Cayetano reiterated her strong support for the government’s “sustainable and mandatory” vaccination program, which took a hit following the Dengvaxia controversy. 

    The Taguig representative said she hopes to allay the public’s fear of vaccinations, stressing that there is a greater danger when parents opt to forego immunization for their children. 

    The DOH had already declared an outbreak of measles in the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, and Central and Eastern Visayas. In NCR, cases rose by 550 percent from January 1 to February 6 this year compared to the same period last year. At least 55 deaths were recorded at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, most of them children aged 3 months to 4 years old.

    “Huwag silang matakot dahil itong vaccination na pang-newborn hanggang one year old, tried and tested na po ‘yan. Dekada na hong ibibigay ‘yun… Hindi ‘yan para sa akin… para ‘yan sa buhay ng mga bata,” Cayetano stressed. #

    Photo: Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano, principal author of the Mandatory Infants and Children Immunization Act (RA 10152), speaks to barangay health workers, women’s groups and mothers about the measles outbreak and the importance of vaccination at the Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) gymnasium in Cabanatuan City.  

  • Pia leads launch of Cebu’s first human milk bank

    Cebu City, Cebu – House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano on Thursday led the inauguration of Cebu’s first Human Milk Bank at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, where she reiterated her breastfeeding advocacy for the benefit of Filipino mothers and children. 

    The service facility will collect, pasteurize, and distribute donated breast milk from nursing mothers to infants at the neonatal intensive care unit who are either premature or have congenital ailments, or those whose mothers could not breastfeed due to childbirth complications.

    The establishment of human milk banks in the country is pursuant to Republic Act 10028 or the “Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009,” of which Cayetano was the principal author. 

    “The contribution of having a milk bank [is that] it really can save lives… It’s no longer debated that breast milk is the best for babies… Breast milk is the lifeline of all babies,” the congresswoman stressed.

    “[But] sometimes, the mother is not able to provide breast milk. So what do you do when these mothers have no milk,” she added, noting that the human milk banks can fill in this gap. 

    Under the law, health institutions in the country are encouraged set up milk banks for the storage and processing of donated breast milk, with the goal of providing accessible milk for children who are too ill or whose mothers cannot breastfeed. 

    Prior to the law’s passage, Cayetano had already led the launching of the Philippines’ first community milk bank in Makati City. She said her inspiration for lobbying a measure that promotes breastfeeding was her personal experience as a mother. 

    “My son was born with a congenital condition or trisomy 13. So for five months of his life, ang mga classmates niya were babies who were born with medical issues or sometimes their mothers cannot breastfeed immediately,” she cited. 

    “That’s why I’ve also had the opportunity to share my breast milk with other mothers, not just with that son of mine, but with my other two daughters, I’ve shared my milk with other moms,” she added.

    The Taguig representative then expressed her commitment to ensure the full and proper implementation of RA 10028, particularly to push for the establishment of more milk banks in Philippine hospitals. # 

  • Pia hopeful of amendments in MACR bicam

    House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano is pushing for a comprehensive measure to improve the country’s juvenile justice and welfare policy, voting ‘no’ on the House bill lowering the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR).

    “Yes, there are children who commit acts that are defined as crimes by our laws. But it is too early to give up on them and treat them as criminals. And this is where my crusade begins,” she said.

    Cayetano remains supportive of calls to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (Republic Act 9344), lamenting that the gaps in the law strip child offenders of accountability when they are simply released to homes that do not give them proper guidance. 

    “Many minors have been preyed upon and dragged into a life of criminality by syndicates who take advantage of their vulnerability, lack of proper guidance, supervision, and support from the families and communities,” she stressed. 

    She added that intermediary measures such as community- or center-based interventions envisioned by the law do not exist in many communities, citing a lack of proper funding. On the other hand, Cayetano said the proposed House bill also failed to consider more holistic interventions in dealing with child offenders.

    “Neither the law nor the proposed bill recognized the alternative of foster care. Pursuant to RA 10165 or the Foster Care Act, which I sponsored in 2012, the State recognizes that a child will benefit more from foster care than institutional care,” she cited. 

    The congresswoman hence submitted her own proposed amendments, which she hopes would be included in the bicameral version of the bill. 

    She said accountability should be present among children in conflict with the law regardless of age, and with each case based on the circumstance of the child. 

    Cayetano also wants more sufficient budget for support programs for parents and families, as well as for social workers, child development experts, and personnel who will process cases of children in need of intervention.

    “I am hopeful that my concerns can be addressed during bicam. Should my amendments be carried, I will be able to support the bill.”#